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5 Award-Winning Pediatric Quality Improvement Ideas

From 76 entries, the Pediatric Quality Award judges narrowed the field. All entries brought quality improvement practices to light that other children's hospitals could replicate.

From a sustained reduction in the length of stay for babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome to reducing radiation exposure, the 2015 Pediatric Quality Award (PQA) uncovered major improvement work happening in children's hospitals. After reviewing 76 entries from 46 members, expert judges selected 12 projects as semifinalists in one of four categories.

"As the judges reviewed the entries, we were struck by how visionary the work was," says Helen Burstin, chief scientific officer, National Quality Forum. "The entries were willing to take on culture change, and it's not easy work. They took on what matters, found gnarly, hard problems and identified solutions."

CHA honored the semifinalists and announced the winners at an awards luncheon at the 2016 Quality and Safety in Children's Health Conference on March 8 in New Orleans. Here's a look at the winners and the practices that successfully improved patient care, transformed care delivery and reduced costs.